Adapter holder for circular lamps



Dec. 17, 1957 G. R. BAUMGARTNER ET AL ADAPTER HOLDER FOR CIRCULAR LAMPS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 21. 1955 Inven' tovs: George RB'eumgev -tnen Clarence MCu tLew, b8 e 4;?

Dec. 17, 1957 G. R. BAUMGARTNER ETAL 2,817,004

ADAPTER HOLDER FOR CIRCULAR LAMPS 'Filed Sept. 21, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent ADAPTER HOLDER FOR CIRCULAR LAMPS George R. Baumgartner, Russell, and Clarence M. Cutler,

Euclid, Ohio, assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application September 21, 1955, Serial No. 535,609

2 Claims. (Cl. 24051.12)

The present invention relates to a combined adapter and holder for circular lamps of the double-ended, tubular, gaseous electric discharge type, such as the circular fluorescent lamps now available commercially.

A commercial form of such circular fluorescent lamps is provided with a base formed as a short tube bridging the gap between the juxtaposed ends of a tubular glass an adapter holder for lamps of the above type by which the lamp is readily mountable in existing lighting fixtures designed for incandescent lamps equipped with screw type bases and with the plane of the circular lamp envelope parallel to the direction in which the screw type socket opens. Still another object of the invention is to provide such an adapter holder providing a housing for the auxiliary equipment for the lamp. A further object of the invention is to provide such an adapter holder of simple structure, the components of which are readily assembled and disassembled for lamp replacements. Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of a species thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which-- Fig. l is a front elevational view of an adapter holder embodying the invention with a tubular, circular fluorescent lamp mounted thereon;

t Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the adapter holder and the lamp shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is an exploded view showing in perspective the component parts of the adapter holder prior to assembly, with the lamp accommodated thereby shown in a fragmentary, partly sectional view.

Referring to the drawings, the adapter holder 1 comprises a disc-shaped metal housing 2 for enclosing the lamp auxiliary equipment 3 (Fig. 3), two angularly spaced apart pairs of lamp engaging spring fingers 4, 4 and 5, 5 extending radially outward from the periphery of the housing 2 and shaped to receive therebetween the inner peripheral portion of the annular glass envelope 6 of the lamp 7.

A hollow arm 8 integral with the housing 2 also extends radially outward from the housing 2 and has a transverse opening for accommodating the base 9 of the lamp 7. A screw-type plug 10 is attached to the outer end of the arm 8 and forms a longitudinal extension of the arm outside the circle defined by the lamp 7. The plug 10 is adapted for insertion into the usual screw threaded sockets of incandescent lamp fixtures, such as ceiling mounted fixtures, floor lamps and the like, with the plane including the circular lamp parallel to the direction in which the socket of the fixture opens.

The hollow arm 8 of the adapter holder provides a wiring raceway from the plug 10 around the lamp base 9 and into the interior of the housing 2 for the lamp auxiliary equipment 3. An electrical plug 11 (Fig. 3) having four contact sleeves recessed in cavities 12 in the end thereof is connected to the lamp ballast 26 and engages the four contact pins 13 on the lamp base 9. In the drawings two of the contact pins 13 are shown in Fig. 3. The plug 11 is accommodated partially in the wiring raceway in the hollow arm 8 and partially in the extension of the wiring raceway formed by the outwardly pressed radially extending channel-shaped parts 14 (Fig. 3) in the walls of the disc-shaped housing 2.

A lighting unit including the adapter holder 1, a lamp 7 and the auxiliary equipment 3 for the lamp may be connected into the usual lighting circuits of hotels, homes, stores and the like without changing the existing wiring and, in many instances, without changing the structural details of the existing fixtures, particularly the overhead fixtures found in the corridors, hallways and other locations in such establishments.

As shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the disc-shaped lamp auxiliary housing 2 and the arm 8 integral therewith and extending radially outward therefrom are made up of two similar mating parts 15 and 16 bolted together.

In view of the similarity of the parts 15 and 16, the part 16 to which the lamp auxiliary part 3 is fastened is described and it will be understood that the description thereof also applies to the corresponding portions of the part 15 except for the ditferences in structure noted.

The portion 17 of the part 16 is in the form of a dished shell of circular shape and is provided with a cylindrical flange 18 at its periphery. The portion 17 is referred to hereinafter as the shell 17 and the corresponding portion of the part 15 is referred to hereinafter as the shell 19. The flange 18 on the shell 19 is slightly smaller in diameter than the flange 18 on the shell 17 and is telescopically received by the latter flange when the shells 18 and'19 are fastened together. The shells 17 and 19 are fastened together by a screw 20 which extends through an opening 21 in the shell 19 into engagement with a. threaded hole 22 in the tab 23 provided on the bracket 24 fastened, as by welding or soldering, to the inner surface of the shell 17.

The bracket 24 has a lamp starter 25 and a lamp ballast 26, both of conventional structure, fastened thereto. These components of the auxiliary equipment for the lamp 7 are enclosed by the shells 17 and 19 when the latter are fastened together as described above. The fingers 4, 4 and 5, 5 attached to the shells 17 and 19, extend through openings provided at the juncture of the flanges 18 and the periphery of the shells 17 and 19 are attached, preferably by welding, at their inner ends to the inner surface of the shells.

The portions 27 of the parts 15 and 16 forming the hollow arm 8 are extensions of the pressed out portions 14 of the shells 17 and 19 and are provided with upstanding sides 28 and 29, the edges of which are so curved that, when the parts 15 and 16 are fastened together, the said edges define a lamp base-receiving opening extending transversely through the arm 8.

The flanges 18 on each of the shells 17 and 19 do not extend across the portions 27 so that an unobstructed wiring raceway is provided from the end of the arm 8 to which the plug 10 is attached, around the lamp base-receiving opening in the arm and into the interior of the housing 2 defined by the shells 17 and 19.

The outer ends of the portions 27 of the parts 15 and 16 are curved inward and are each provided with a slot 30, upstanding end flanges 31 on opposite sides of the slot and a bolt hole 32 spaced a slight distance from the inner end of the slot 30. The flanges 31 on the body parts 15 and 16 butt against each other and the slots 30 form a single continuous slot in'the 'end of the arm 8 in the assembled "holderforreceiving the end parts ofthe plug "10.

The plug 10 is provided with a central contact 33 at the outer end of its cylindrical, electrically insulating post 34 and a shell contact 35'for' engagingithe corresponding c'ontacts of a screw threaded socket. The current supply wires :36-and 37 are electrically connected to' the said plug contacts 33 and 35. .The screWthreadedcontafl 35 may be fixed anti turningly on the; post 34 or, *when desired, the shellcontact mayjbe -mounted"'for rotation on post 34 in which case slidingcontactsare provided within the'post 34 for electrically connecting one of the supply wiresto the said "shell contact 35. "The-annular flange 38 is. providedfor turning the plug" I-into'"a socket.

The end 39 of'the'po'st 3.4 oppositethe'contact end thereof is concave to fit the'convex'outer endfsurface of the arm -8 and is provided withawaisedembossment- 40 which fits 'intotheslot -30' atftheiend of 'the arm "'8t0 prevent relative rotary displacements betweenthe plug .10 and'the'housing '2. -A'rnetal'strip 41"curved to extend partially around the.tubular lamp base 9 is ifastenedby screws 42 engaging threadedholes43'to'the' top -ofthe embossment 40 and said strip 'extendsbeyond the 'extremities of the slot 30 in thearm' 8 in bothditec'tionsin the assembled adapter holder. Athreadedffhole 44 is provided at each end'of the strip 41' extendingbeyondthe end of the slot 30' and'screws'45iextend through openings 32 in"the*arm"8 "into engagement with'p'the threaded holes 44in the strip 41 tofa'stenthe'plug'lflfand'housing '2 together. The strip 41is' also'provide'd withholes 46 through which theinsulated'current supplywires '36' and '37 extend.

The adapter'holderis assembled by "fastening the part 16to' theplugf"by*a'screw45. The"-lamp*7 is then placed'on the' part"16 with the base 9 'of'the lamp in the curved portion of the channel flanges -28-arid -29'and with the lamp'envelope 6against 'the'fingers "4and5 on the part 16. Thefplug'llisthen'thrust'into engagement with the base 'contacts' 13 and thereafterthe"part 'fiis attached tothe plug 10 andthepart F16 .bythe screws"and 45 tosecure the'adapter'holder'parts togethertosupport the lamp.

Lamp replacements are easily ma'deibytremoving the screws. 20and"45'toreleaseipart 15, lifting otf part 15, disconnecting'the' plugi11,"removingthej1amp7, placing another lamp inthe'aclapter 'holder,connec'ting'the plug 11 to the base of thereplacement lamp andithen' replacing the part IS'and the; s'crews20 and45.

Whilea' "species of thezinventionihas been' shown' in the drawing anddescribed"ab'ove, it' will be understood that numerouschanges-intheform'andfdetails of the adapter 'holder illustrated'maybemafde'by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting fromthespifittandscope of the invention'as defind in the appendedtclaims.

What'we'claim'as newiand'idesire -to secure by Letters Patento'f 'the United Statesis:

1. An adapter holder for a tubular electric discharge lamp of circular shape having abase provided withcontact pins extending generally inwardly of the circle defined by the lamp, said adapter holder comprising a fiat two-part circular housing for the starting and operating auxiliary equipment for the lamp, lamp support means extending from the periphery of saidzhousing for engaging the glass envelope of the lamp at points along the innerperiphery of the lamp 'angularly spaced *from-saidbase-andfrom each. other, said, lampsupportmeansbeing adaptedtmsupportthe circular larnp around said housingin a .-plane including the periphery of :said housing, ahollow arm integral withand extending outwardly from said ,housing in a radial direction and defining 'a'lamp base-receiving transverse opening, an electrical plug attached to the outer end of said arm beyond said base-receiving opening and projecting longitudinally outward from said arm in a plane including the periphery of said housing, saidhollow arm providing'a wiring'raceway around'saidflamp base opening and extending between said plug and the interior of said housing.

2. An adapter-holder -for a'tubular electric discharge lamp of circular shape having a -base-provided with contact pins extending generally inwardly of the 'circle defined 'by the lamp, said adapter holder comprising a flat two-part each other, said'lampsupportmeans being adapted to support the circular lamp around said housing in .a plane including theperiphery of said housing, av hollow arm integral with and extending outwardly from said housing in'a radial direction and defining alamp base-receiving transverse opening, an electrical plug attached to the outer end of said arm beyond said base-receiving opening and projecting longitudinally'outward .fromsaid arm in a plane including the periphery of said housing, saidhollow arm providing "a'wiring raceway 'aroundssaid lamp base opening and extending between said plug and'the interior of said housing, said housing beingdishe'd outwardly and formed with a channelway'extending radially inward from said hollow arm to constitute an extension of the-wiring raceway provided bysaid arm.

References Cited in the-file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,041,189 Keating et=al. .Mayil9, 1936 2,525,022 .Dupuy Oct. 10, .1950 2,579,026 Walter ;Dec.jl8, I951 v2,626,346 Stoller Ian. 20, 11 953 2,697,777 Rosa ,Dec. 21,4954 

